Brighton: More public toilets to reopen 'in coming weeks'

Speaking exclusively to The Argus, council leader Bella Sankey said that more sites across the city will reopen very soon as more people visit Brighton for the summer.

Public toilets at Black Rock and Greenleas are due to reopen in the near future.

It comes as seven other public toilets across the city opened their doors again with reduced opening hours earlier this week.

Cllr Sankey said: “We think that public toilets are absolutely essential to a city like Brighton and Hove for our residents and our visitors.

“It will always be a priority of ours to keep them open, keep them clean and refurbish them where money allows so we retain that really important public service for people.

“We were also proud to stop the closure of more toilets last February when the Green administration proposed to close or start charging for our toilets.”

The plans come after the toilets on King’s Esplanade in Hove were reopened in time for the summer season.

However, toilets at The Level and Pavilion Gardens will remain closed for now, with the council having a “long-term goal” to reopen them.

Cllr Sankey said the council is working to provide “alternative provision” around the Pavilion Gardens area in the interim.

She said: “I know that the situation both at The Level and in Pavilion Gardens is a huge issue for our residents and I have huge sympathy for that.

“We have a long-term goal to get toilets reopened there and until we can make that happen we will be very focused on finding alternative provision.”

Although plans are in the works to reopen both public toilets, Cllr Sankey said: “It would be hasty to put a timeframe on that."

Her comments came as some residents took to social media to express their frustration that some public toilets remain closed.

One particularly angry user said: “If the council don’t hurry up and get the public toilets reopened, especially in the parks, I will have no choice but to start relieving myself in the streets in protest.”